Save Money on Petrol
However, despite all this doom and gloom, there are numerous quick and easy things that you can do to fight the costs of petrol and diesel and make running your car a little less expensive.
Here are some top tips for saving money on petrol or diesel.
1. Always buy the cheapest petrol
This may sound obvious, but so many people always buy their petrol from the same petrol station and don't think to shop around and see if they could be paying less just round the corner.
Now, if you're thinking that any money you save by buying the cheapest petrol will already have been lost whilst you were driving around looking for it, take a look at www.petrolprices.com.
At www.petrolprices.com you can enter a postcode or town name and it will tell you immediately where to find the cheapest (and the most expensive) petrol and diesel in your area. Then you can just go straight to the cheapest petrol station.
I must admit, when I first heard about this I didn't think that it would help much. All petrol stations charge about the same, give or take 0.1p. Right?
Wrong!
I just typed in my postcode and discovered that in my area alone, there is currently a difference of 5.6p between the highest and lowest prices for unleaded petrol, and a difference of 4.0p between the highest and lowest prices for diesel. If I were to fill up a 50 litre tank with petrol, by going to the cheapest petrol station I could be saving myself a tidy 2.80 each time I filled up.
So shop around, you could save pounds!
2. Be smart when you fill up
When you fill up your car, you are charged by the amount of petrol or diesel that passes through the pump. Usually, when you stop filling up, there is still a small amount of fuel left in the tube that connects the nozzle to the pump. Make sure that you shake every last drop out of the pipe and nozzle before you hang it up. After all, you'll be paying for it.
Another tip is to try and fill up in the early morning or late evening, especially during the summer. Fuel is charged for by volume, but it expands as it warms up. This means that you may actually get less fuel for your money when it's warmer, than when it's cold. By filling up at cooler times of day, you can ensure that you get the greatest possible amount of fuel (by mass, which is what counts in your engine) for your money.
Another point to note is that the quality of the petrol or diesel that you put into you car can make a significant difference to how efficiently it runs. Basically, the better the quality of the fuel, the further you will be able to drive on a single tank. Following on from this, many people have advocated filling up at petrol stations that have a lot of custom. If you buy your fuel from a petrol station that is not used very much, the petrol or diesel that you buy may have been sitting in the station's storage tank for quite a while. During this time it can collect impurities and sediment, all of which can pass into your car and reduce its efficiency. By buying your fuel from frequently-used petrol stations you can help to ensure that only the purest and cleanest fuel goes into your car.
Finally, there's no point in being super smart at the pump, if you've driven out of your way to reach it. Try to fill up when you are passing a petrol station anyway, and don't make a special journey to get there - you'll only be wasting your fuel!
3. Drive less!
I expect that this tip is probably the least popular of all the tips for saving money on petrol. Although, it is probably also the most effective of all the tips. Taken to its limit, you could reduce your petrol or diesel expenditure by 100%! However much you decide to follow this tip, its effects will be immediately felt so it's definitely worth a try.
There are numerous different ways in which you can drive less, use less petrol and ultimately spend less money.
First, try walking short journeys. Walking has many benefits including saving money on your petrol (of course!), keeping fit, getting to know your local area a bit better, providing great thinking time... And what I especially like about walking is that you are totally in control of your journey - no traffic jams, no delays, you can go as fast or a slow as you want and you are completely free to stop or take whichever route you like!
Also, consider using public transport, such as the bus or the train, more often. With a bit of planning, using public transport can actually be a much more convenient way to travel. For example, if you're going into town to do a bit of shopping, if you take the bus you don't have to worry about finding a space to park, or having to pay for it. A bus can take you straight to the shops! Also, on busy roads, buses can be faster than cars as they often have their own bus lanes. Another advantage of using public transport is that you don't have to worry about drink-driving. If you want to indulge in a pint or two, it's not a problem.
Finally, another way to drive less is to combine journeys. Instead of jumping in the car each time you think of something you need, wait until you have several errands to run and do them all in a round trip. This will save you time, petrol, and money! Car-sharing is another excellent way to combine journeys. If you know of other people that will be making the same journey as you - why not offer to give them a lift. The next time, they can give you a lift!
4. Drive more efficiently
Many people often overlook this tip, but, once applied, it will have the least impact on how you run your daily life, and so it can be one of the easiest to stick to.
First, make sure that your car is in tip top working condition. Make sure all the parts are working properly, change the oil regularly, check the tyre pressure and generally take excellent care of your car. If you treat it well, it will work better for you.
Secondly, the more you are carting about with you, the more petrol you will be using. So check in your boot and remove any items that you don't need. It's amazing how much junk some people drive about with them! I have a friend who used to keep a loo seat in his boot ("just in case", he said).
Next, when you are driving try to avoid unnecessary braking as this can lead to a huge waste of petrol. Avoiding unnecessary braking means don't drive really fast and then have to break suddenly each time you get to a set of traffic lights. Try to drive as smoothly as possible and never coast in neutral. Around 50 mph is generally the most efficient speed to drive at.
Also, if you are driving faster than around 40 mph try to keep your windows shut. Having them open can cause extra drag and make your car use more petrol.
The air conditioning can use up a lot of your petrol too, so unless it's absolutely necessary, try to avoid switching it on.
Driving on smooth roads can also help reduce fuel consumption. Often, a slightly longer but smoother route will use less petrol than a short bumpy route.
So there you have it. My top tips for saving money on petrol and diesel in a medium-sized nutshell. I hope you find them useful.
